Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-01-07

FOR UNION,
frank Alfriend IN the New York Iimes'I
STAUNToN, Va, Dec. l7.-Untll
Yesterday, when l called at his old
fashioned Virginia mansion in this
Virginia city, which blends all the
best characteristics of the sectional
divisions of the state, had not
seen for many years Mr.. Alexander
II. II. Stuart. When ] sought his
presence for q talk for the New
York Times, a courteous reply gave
me speedy and cordial intercourse
with venerable statesman who
was a large figure IN Congress 40
years ago, who is the surviving
member of the Fillmore Cabinet,
and who has influenced the opln-
ions of Virginians as much as eth
or Seward or Marcy influenced pub
lie sentiment in New York in their
time for at least halfa century. a
son of an eminent Virginia Jurlst,
Mr.. Stuart was a student at VIII
/ liam and Mary College GO years
ago, and subsequently graduated
at the University of Virginia with
honors that promised his future
eminence in his profession and in
politics. He is now not far from 50
years of age. Despite the cruelty
of times ravages, the keen black
eve. the resonant voice, and the
commanding physique that gave
the Wings of Virginia, and at a
later and critical time, the Union
lists of Virginia, heart and hope,
are still preserved. Mr.. Stuart has
survived nearly all his cOntempor-
aries in Virginia politics. Heserved
in the Virginia Legislature with
John Tyler before Tyler became
/ President by the death of President
Harrison. Subsequently, as a mem
Der Of Congress from this district,
he was the close personal friend OF
Henry Clay and OF President Tyler,
and sought to accommodate their
differences and save the integrity
of the Wing organization, which
had so splendidly triumphed in the
election of Harrison over Van Bu-
ren. He was a contemporary OF
Henry A. Wise, of John Minor
Bolts, Of Watkins Leigh, and OF all
the greater leaders of political opln-
ion before the slavery question
drove discussion from the Southern
mind and took the direction of pas
sionate and vehement defamation.
Brief references by Mr.. Stuart to
the exciting times when | had seen
him as a member of the State Sen
ateand of the convention thatpassed
/ the ordinance of secession were fol-
lowed by graphic descriptions oil
I the personnel OF the politics of his
time of public service at Washing
ton. Elected to Congress in 1S4l,
| Mr.. Stuart was welcomed to Wash
ington by Mr.. Clay, who said he
would be "sponsor" for his personal
and political career. A companion
/ i'm this distinction from the great
| Wing leader was George W. Sum
mers, who, after the negro insur-
rection and massacre in SOuthamp-
ton County in 1889, advocated
emancipation of slaves in the Nir-
glnia Legislature. Summers and
/ Stuart were elected TO Congress at
the same time, and both served as
members of the convention that
voted Virginia out Of the UniOn-a
result that both thought fraught
with the disasters that followed
Mr.. Stuart's competitor for Con
gress, Mr.. Mcdowell, was subSe
quently Governor of the State, and
is remembered throughout Virginia
as among the best of her Govern
ors. Ia the hard, commercial, po
litical methods of today it is diff
cult to appreciate the courtesy tC
his competitor of Mr.. Stuart il
postpOning his canvass for severa
weeks after both had been nomi
mated because of the absence o
Mr.. Mcdowell in Mississippi on prl
vate business.
OfMr. Stuarts recOllectiOns nom
are more delightful than those o
Clay, Webster, and Fillmore. IL
Mr.. Clay he accOrds warmth o
personal attachment that he eyl
dently feels justified by Clay's pub
tic and private life. He tells
story OF famous game OF whist II
Washington in which Lord Ash
burton, then Commissioner iron
England to arrange what has pass
ed into our history as the "Ashbur
ton treaty." took part, and to whlc
Mr.. Webster contributed his grea
brains Clay, CrttendOn, Lord ASH
burton, and the RUSSIAN DiluiSVe'
Count BOdisco, we're the players
aud Mr.. Clay was the partner {
BOdisco. "What shall the stak
be p asked Lord Ashburton. "O1
of Difference to her Majesty" sal
Mr.. Clay, tive will make 1t so'
ereign,n and as Mr.. Stuart narrate
it, no more royal acknowledgment
of ofdeference to a distinguished gueI
was ever made in either languae
or manner than that of the gre'
Kentucky Senator and Wing lead'
who was born in the swamps
Hanover county, Virginia, the sc
of Baptist preacher, uprrlgh
-. hut he M means rich. NIal